Intrepid Thoughts
by September Lilies
Summary: A girl staying faithful for her first love, and a boy trying to protect the only girl he had ever loved. Their love was denied by faith and only time can tell that maybe,it was just not the right time. It's the thought that counts. For this.pen.is.red Ü


**DEDICATION:** For **thispenisred**, please get well soon and join us back here in FFN. Even though we haven't interacted yet, I still wish for your wellness. Also for my sissy **MissTangerine18** for helping me finding a fanfic I've been wanting to read the other night. And lastly, for **Adrienne Leigh Basilan **(this is the story you wanted me to write, and sorry if it is not that good).

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the characters or anything. Just the silly plot and the crazy turn of events. Ü

**In the last part, everything in italics is spoken in their thoughts. You'll see why. Ü And expect an out-of-character Hotaru and Natsume. You have been warned. I'll edit this later.**

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><p><strong>Intrepid Thoughts<strong>

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><p>Nighttime. Every student of the academy should be asleep by now.<p>

But not her.

Not when she just got her own heart broken.

Soaked by the rain, she trudged along the dark corridor. Her usual creamy skin looked pale and clammy, and she appeared like she would collapse any given minute. Her auburn locks were in wild disarray – stray, wet locks clinging everywhere in her pretty face. She hugged her petite figure, obviously feeling cold from being drenched.

And no…not only her school uniform was doused in plethoric amount of rainwater, but her face…

She was walking along the hallway for quite some time now, and her upper body was already a tad bit of dry, but her face was another matter. Too wet of saltwater, her amber eyes were now puffy and hurting like hell. Her small, pointed nose was red from all her weeping and she can barely see the path she's walking on.

"Come here, you idiot," a voice sounded from the corner.

The auburn-haired girl turned to look at the dim junction of the hall and girl's dorm and she smiled a bit upon seeing her best friend.

"What are you doing here at this late at night?" she wiped her tears sneakily and in a more cheery voice, "Weren't you supposed to fix one of your inventions?"

The best friend stepped out of the darkness and settled her purple eyes on the girl in front of her. Like her, she was still in her school uniform. She whispered in a scolding voice, "Don't even attempt to hide your tears, you dolt. Come here," she shushed in a comforting voice as she engulfed the other girl in a soothing embrace.

The maiden with amber eyes snuggled closer into her best friend, seeking for solace, unaware that her best friend's shirt was already half-wet.

"Hush now," she began patting her head. She was now wet from all the tears and seemed to have absorbed the water from brunette's attire, too. But she didn't mind. Being soaked in whatever kind of liquid was much more trivial compared to the problem her best friend was facing.

"That jerk is not worth your tears. There are many out there much more deserving of you. Remember that."

And there, in the middle of the night, with the rain pouring, thunders clapping and lightning dancing in the melancholic night, stood two girls at the empty hall – one crying her heart out and the other comforting the first.

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><p>"Hotaru-chan!" someone squealed, followed by a deafening sound of the door hitting the wall.<p>

A girl of sixteen years turned to look at the door, her purple eyes gleaming with malice. She was enjoying the entire peace and quiet when someone just barged in.

"Mikan, you idiot. Close you big mouth before I swat you across the academy," she hissed, much to her annoyance.

"But Hotaru! I missed you so much!" Mikan wailed, lunging at Hotaru.

The whole class was not paying much attention to the two, since this scene is more like a scripted play – Mikan will barge in the room, Hotaru will tell her to shut up, Mikan will futilely attempt to hug Hotaru, and Hotaru will swat her away like the usual. Nothing out of ordinary.

But today, Hotaru just let Mikan squeeze her into a bear hug and instead, smiled a bit at her idiotic best friend. This little scene didn't go unnoticed by their classmates, and this caused quite a ruckus. Papers slipped from their grasps, pens fell with a dramatic effect on the floor, their class representative Yuu dropped his chalk and stopped writing some announcement on the board, some tripped and some others fell from their chair.

Hotaru was twitching her eyebrows. "What? Can't I hug this idiot?"

At this, everybody resumed their previous doings, like everything was just paused on a whim. But their reactions were understandable – it is not everyday you see the Ice Queen hug _and_ smile at her blabbermouth friend. They didn't know how much close the two had gotten since that stormy night six months ago.

"I really can't believe that Narumi-sensei approved us to organize our own band! I feel like celebrating after classes. Anna, Nonoko and Permy will be thrilled when they hear about this!" Mikan exclaimed in total excitement just as she settled beside the purple-eyed beauty.

"Keep your voice down, baka," Hotaru said dismissively, but nonetheless, she was screaming with happiness in the inside, too.

"Aww…you're such a killjoy Hota-chan! I'm gonna call the three gals later. They're supposed to be here by three p.m., right? Since the Youth Camp's due today," she said as she placed her finger in her chin in a thinking manner. "But one thing is for sure – we're gonna have a good 'ol slumber party later and eat a bag of cholesterol-filled chips and watch some cheesy romantic film starring Brad Pitt or whoever actor is currently famous in Hollywood and chit-chat all night long!" the brunette sang.

But the corner of Hotaru's mouth along with her brows is twitching. "_Hota-chan_? Who told you to call me by that disgustingly stupid nickname, by the way?"

Mikan scratched her head nervously and was already forming of a back-up plan at the back of her mind in case things suddenly become out of hand. In the meantime, Hotaru was already caressing her Baka Gun version 5.51 and its tip seems to be turning to Mikan's direction every passing second.

She was about to bolt out of the door when Narumi-sensei entered.

_Thank goodness_, she thought with a sigh.

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><p>Lunch time.<p>

"Hotaru! Will you go eat at the canteen with me today?" Mikan inquired, putting all her notebooks inside her bag.

"I can't make it today, I needed to encode and reprogram my current robot maid. I think it is the reason why my carpets keep missing. I should go by now; maybe the stupid robot is eating all of the remaining rugs left at my room." She glanced at Mikan. "But I will compensate later. Host the slumber party at my room. Six-thirty sharp. If any of you happened to be one minute late, I'll kick the rest of you out."

Mikan gulped. "Hehe…sure." Hotaru is still scary as ever. Just as they went out of the classroom, Mikan hugged Hotaru suddenly, making the latter surprised. "Thanks for everything, Hotaru. You're still the best," she whispered.

"Anything for you, dolt," Hotaru whispered back.

Mikan laughed, and waved off to Hotaru. "See ya after lunch!"

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><p>At the cafeteria.<p>

Twelve forty-five. Gosh. It took her forty-five freakin' minutes to order lunch! And classes start at one o'clock.

_What a joy_, Mikan remarked inside her head.

To add a few more things, the cafeteria was jam-packed, and she can't find any more seats. She needs to eat lunch one way or another, given that she faints when she does anything (or attends class) with an empty stomach.

She half-circled the area, letting her eyes wander in quest of finding a seat. And she saw _him_. And right where he sits lay the _only_ vacant chair. Swallowing very hard and ignoring the anxiety welling up inside of her, she walked up to him.

"Umm…Hyuuga-san, is this seat taken?" she asked politely.

Natsume Hyuuga looked up from his manga and was a bit taken aback (though nobody can tell). Seeing her triggered emotions inside of him – like longing and…_guilt_. Nevertheless, he acknowledged her request with a curt nod followed by a simple, "Of course, Sakura-san."

_I missed you calling me Polka_, Mikan dejectedly thought.

_Whatever happened to you yelling at me a pervert?_, was all Natsume could think of.

Both shrugging of the grave feeling, Mikan sat down and tried to eat while Natsume pretended to read. The entire student body paused and look at the two's direction. This was going to be the school gossip tomorrow, considering they were an item going back six months ago.

The awkward silence ensued, and Mikan being Mikan, cannot help but to strike a decent conversation with the guy in front of her.

"How are things going on, Hyuuga-san?" _Because you know, I had a hard time moving on._

"Everything's just fine, Sakura-san. How about you?" _Though I wish we were still together._

"Just the same – though the schoolwork is quite getting on me," she tried to smile. _I'm not fine without you around._

"I see," he replied abruptly. "Don't worry, Imai's got your back. Yet I extend condolences to your allowance," he said jokingly. _But I want to be the one to stay by your side, did you know that?_

"Yes, she does bankrupt me," she responded rather amused. _Will you still be my tutor? Those times were irreplaceable._

"But she must have done a great job, since you got ninety-seven percentile last exams," he smirked. _And I feel jealous of Imai for doing a great job._

And she laughed – a silvery tinkle that only he could hear. "If you only knew how hard it was for my part to solve the Math equations." _And how harder it was for me not to think of you anymore._

And he smiled, too, albeit a small but sincere one, and another round of quiet ensued.

Mikan was halfway done with her vegetable salad, but she has still one more question to ask…

"If you don't mind me asking, I heard about you and Koizumi-san…" she trailed of suggestively. _Are you really a couple now?_

"Oh, that. Yes, it's true," he responded with a rather straight face. _But I don't even love her, Mikan…_

"I see," she struggled to keep up her smile to cover up the pain she was feeling inside. "She was very pretty, ne?" _Maybe the reason why she managed to stole your heart…_

He nodded pointlessly, nevertheless Mikan didn't notice. "She is." _But you're still the most beautiful girl I know._

"And is she funny and amazing like they say?" she inquired innocently. _Everything I knew I wasn't._

"Yes, yes she is," he aforementioned with a faraway look on his face. _However, she nothing compared to you._

"I bet you know everything about her now," Mikan assumed as she munched on a piece of lettuce. _Like you knew everything about me._

"Only the stuff that counts," Natsume shrugged. _I barely understand half the stuff she says, since I'm too busy thinking of you._

"Come to think of it, where is Koizumi-san?" _But I'm glad she's not here right now._

"She needed to arrange something…important." _Our parents were already planning an engagement party before we graduate this year. And I had to let you go because they intend to harm you. I cannot let that happen since you are the most important person for me._

"I hope you and Koizumi-san last," _Since we never did…_

"I hope so, too," was all Natsume could say. _But I hope not…because you're the one I really needed…_

Mikan felt her eyes water and she glanced down at her wristwatch to borrow some time and collect herself. "Well, I needed to go Hyuuga-san. There are only two more minutes left till the start of afternoon classes." _I gotta go before I start to cry._

"Me too", Natsume stood up and so did Mikan. _I hope you won't cry, Mikan._

"Bye, Hyuuga-san. Oh, and thanks for letting me share a table," she uttered and bow as a sign of gratitude. _I still love you, Natsume…I hope you know…_

"See you around, Sakura-san," Natsume said, ending their conversation. _I never stopped, Mikan. I never did stop loving you…_

And just as that, in a span of thirteen minutes, two lovers conversed, not with their words, but with their hearts. The entire student body there was watching, but they were just as oblivious.

A girl staying faithful for her first love, and a boy trying to protect the only girl he had ever loved. Their love was denied by faith and only time can tell that maybe, just maybe, it was just not the right time, nor the right opportunity. Time was the only one who can tell what will happen to them in the near future, but one thing is for sure – they never stopped loving each other. Nobody did, and they never will.

A strong, heavy rain fell a couple of minutes after their encounter. Dark and gloomy, they share the pain of two persons, drenching both their hearts in a pitiful way.

But they never needed pity.

As long as their love prevails – even merely in their thoughts.

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><p><strong>THE END<strong>

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I want to extend my thanks to my sissy **mikie-chan** for posting the quote that I used as the foundation of this story. I love you Ate Jo! Thanks a lot. This is the original quote:

**THE EX**

**Girl: Your new girlfriend is pretty. (I bet she stole your heart)**

**Boy: Yeah...she is. (But you're still the most beautiful girl I know.)**

**Girl: I heard she's funny and amazing. (Everything I wasn't.)**

**Boy: She sure is. (But she is nothing compared to you.)**

**Girl: I bet you know everything about her by now. (Like you knew everything about me.)**

**Boy: Only the stuff that counts. (I can't even remember half the stuff she says because I'm too busy thinking of you.)**

**Girl: Well, I hope you guys last. (Because we never did.)**

**Boy: I hope we do too. (Whatever happened to me and you?)**

**Girl: Well, I gotta go. (Before I start to cry.)**

**Boy: Yeah...me too. (I hope you don't cry.)**

**Girl: Bye... (I still love you)**

**Boy: Later... (I never stopped.) **

So yes, this is my foundation. I just want to clarify things to avoid what happened to my story "**My 24th Hour of Ignorance**". And please take time to read my other stories - **"Every Girl's Dream**"**, **"**Rivalry's Chemistry**", "**Confessions and Giants**", "**My Hatred For You Is Surely Mutual**" and** "My 24th Hour Of Ignorance**". Please review and tell me what you think of this fic! I love you guys! And yes, I'm aware that the ending is not what you deem as the happily-ever-after type, because I want this to be an example of true love, that even though denied by fate, they knew that it was _real love_ all along. I hope you understand my point. But you see, I can make a sequel, just tell me through your reviews *wink wink*.

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><p><strong> diane-chan desu <strong>


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